How Can I Love You?
by Kimmyangel445
Summary: Sebastian and Grell had a one night stand which-with strange effects afterwards-produced their daughter, who was a blend of reaper and demon.On a job Elodie meets a particular demon that seems to make her change her views but knowing this demon's history she wonders one thing. How could she ever love a demon such as him? (I don't own the picture!))
1. Chapter 1

Elodie stood on the top of a house, her Death Scythe held securely in her hand as she pulled out the book she would need from the little pocket inside of her blazer as the wind stirred her hair gently and the bottom of her blazer slightly as she looked at the name, her green eyes practically glowing in the dark as her lips pressed into a thin line as she read the name. Elora Hale, she had been a single mother, not much older than Elodie who had been killed in a little disagreement with her ex-husband who conveniently wasn't in town any more and she sighed gently never liking these sort of jobs. She jumped down from the roof falling to the ground almost soundless except for the soft click of her heels as she landed on the cobble stone ground then turned facing the door and pushed it open gently.

She walked inside the house only to be welcomed with the metallic scent of blood as she walked forward, blood smears along the wall and a trail leading to the kitchen which was where Elora had crawled away too only to die rather tragically. She pulled out her stamp then as she watched the cinimatic records swoosh out of the woman's body the glow was soft yet bright as she watched the memories then pressed her stamp down marking complete by her name and she finished her business then walked outside. She shut the door gently then stood there for a good couple of minutes shutting her eyes as the breeze fluttered by her again and around her bringing a sweet crisp scent with it and she let her lips pull up into a smile after the corner of her lips twitched a few times.

She opened her eyes slowly again as her eyes glow in the darkness, her glasses throwing back the light of the crescent moon, her hair black like ink and pale skin making her look like a corpse and the darkness of her clothes didn't help but with all the black her eyes really did glow. She began to walk down the street, her shoes clicking softly with her steps as her hair ghosted up and over her shoulders, her eyes down cast at the ground which caused her lashes to lower concealing her eyes as she walked and she blew out a soft breath that stirred a couple of whisp's of hair by her mouth.

She paused knowing she needed to get back to Head Quarters but it DID smell like rain and it'd take to long to get to HQ in time without getting soaked and having to listen to her "Uncle" William T. Spears lecture her about getting back in time before the rain. She looked straight ahead, a yearning to go to the Phantomhive manor was nearly consuming her and she smiled as she began to walk faster then broke out into a sprint, then a jog and a run finally. Her hair began to fly over her shoulders and in her eyes a bit but she didn't mind that.

She turned a right corner only to slam into someone which shocked her and she cried out as she fell towards the hard ground her eyes a bit wide but a hand shot out which was connected to an arm that wrapped around her waist tightly and securely as it pulled her up right. Her eyes widened as the familiar cold atmosphere of a demon made her muscles clench but even as that happened she turned her head despite her good sense telling her not too and her eyes met bright gold eyes that gleamed down at her from behind a pair of glasses. He had black hair that had a messy look to it and he had a cold expression on his face that was emotionless but her eyes widened with panic and she pulled away as her hair fell in her face slightly, her earring stud and two hoops shinning in each of her ears as she stared at the demon.

"You really should look where you're running too." The demon said speaking with a cool, almost cold way as he looked down at her but she scowled a little bit in return as she crossed her arms over her breasts.

"Even if I have to look where I'm going you should have said something!" She snapped out before stepping around him and taking off running again, her arms pumping at her sides as she ran down the street, her shoes clicking much louder against the ground.

When the dirt road leading to the manor came into view Elodie ran even faster her breath coming in little pants as she full blown ran towards the manor. She felt happiness as she ran up to the manor her hair streaming behind her like a black cape as she ran and her blazer burst open but she didn't mind it and she kept running until the familiar blonde head of Finny, the gardener came into view and she stopped placing her hands on her knees panting out softly then stood up right and walked towards the front door, her heels making crunching sounds as she walked catching her breath slowly even as her heart pounded to a jagged hard rhythm and Finny rushed to the edge of the lawn where a few bushes were as his turquoise eyes sparkled softly.

"Hello, Elodia!" He said cheerfully, his smile so bright and infectious that she couldn't help but smile back at him, her cheeks flushing just a tiny bit as she brushed her messy dark hair behind her ears.

"Hello Finny." She said in response smiling at him a bit more as she played with the ends of her hair looking at the blonde boy who smiled at her sweetly.

"How are you today, if I may ask." He said rather politely making Elodia chuckle gently in a way that honestly made her sound like Sebastian so much that even she could recognize she sounded like her father.

"I'm fine Finny, how about you? Work been to much?" She asked tilting her head smiling at him and he just shook his head, his straw hat moving a little bit around his neck as he shook his head.

"Nope! It's been nice and peachy here!" Finny said brightly making Elodia laugh a little bit then he smiled a bit softer looking at her with those eyes that honestly made some part of her melt the way they always did. "You should get in there, your father's been waiting for you I guess. Not that I know how he knew you were coming but you shouldn't keep him waiting."

"I know. Thank you for talking with me." Elodia said sounding very grateful and sweet towards Finny who smiled brightly once again.

"Any time!" He said and she grinned then turned walking to the front doors pulling it open gently, then walked in to see Mey-Rin being scolded by her father and Bard standing in the door way with dark ashy skin and an afro, which were signs he blew the kitchen up. Again.

"And again I specifically told you how to wash the young masters sheets and you're not to use thirty cups of detergent but three cups of it! It's this mistake you keep on making over and over again and I'm honestly-" Sebastian sid sounding angry and Mey-rin's eyes grew watery making Elodie feel bad since the maid did help her on more than one occasion so she decided it was time to make her entrance.

"Hey!" She shouted loudly cutting off Sebastian's words and his heae snapped his head to the left to look at his daughter who let the door shut with a soft thud. She flashed a look at Mey-Rin and Bard who disappeared quickly as Sebastian walked towards Elodie sighing.

"You know better than to do that." Sebastian said in t he same scolding tone but much softer and gentler strange as it was coming from a demon but she didn't care. Sebastian was the one demon that Elodia wasn't scared of so she just stepped forward throwing her arms around him hugging him tight as her head rested against his chest.

"And it's nice to see you too, Papa." She said gently using the term of endearment she used to call her father who sighed as though he'd decided not to even scold her for that and he stroked her long dark hair softly as he wrapped an arm around her.

Signs of affection such as this were very strange to see a demon do but there wasn't anything Sebastian could really do to resist do anything, she was his daughter! Technically half of him and that meant she wa shalf demon, which meant he was always going to feel a pull towards her to protect and even love her the way he did. Though it made him shudder to think this lovely little thing was created on a night he'd been more out of his mind than usual and that she was half of him but also half GRELL he was. . kind of happy he had a child strange as that was for a demon to think but she was perfect in every sense of the word and Sebastian found himself becoming proud of whatever she did.

"Did you check in with William?" Sebastian asked as he pulled back slightly though his arm was still around her, his hand still mid stroke of her hair as she looked up at him with her green eyes and a sheepish smile.

"No I didn't. It was going to rain which it's beginning too and I didn't want to go and get scolded by him and would rather spend the night with you and Ciel." She said in a slight squeakish tone as though he would just push her out which he'd done before but he just sighed shaking his head then thumped the back of her head softly or at least he thought it was soft and she winced.

"Come on then, I'll get your room prepared while you go and talk to Ciel then." Sebastian sighed out as he walked forward towards the stairs his footsteps muted and Elodia followed after the demon smiling secretly to herself that she could stay and she was honestly happy her father showed her that rare moment of affection. They climbed up the stairs together slowly without talking and when he went to the right she went to the left going up the small stars quickly then down the hall, her blazer blowing open gently along with her hair blowing off her shoulders lightly like it did when she walked and she reached Ciel's study knocking softly.

"Come in!" Ciel called out sounding a bit snappish and irritated but when Elodia pushed open the door he seemed rather pleased instead quickly as she walked in then shut the door gently. "Hello Elodia."

"Hello, Ciel." She replied sitting in a chair which had been placed in front of the desk, her back straight and her eyes were cool but she couldn't help smiling at him crookedly.

"So, I mean to ask you though you are half Shinigami and half demon you would like to stay here?" He asked, getting straight to the point his right eye staring a hole into her and she felt nervous but she nodded gently.

"I would. I don't like sleeping at Head Quarters where the rooms have zero privacy and plus it's more. . fun to be here." Elodia said a bit slowly trying to keep the surprise out of her tone, after all she didn't think it would be straight to the point but then again Ciel Phantomhive always was straight to the point.

"I see. Well let me think it over and I'll let you have an answer in the morning." Ciel said tapping his finger tips together and Elodia smiled. You could say she really loved Ciel a lot but she knew he was in love with her father not that she was judging in any way shape or form, after all her mother was a male.

"Alright, thank you Ciel." She said giving a little bow then turned walking to the door pulling it open to see Sebastian standing there and she moved to the side letting him in and she dashed out knowing exactly where her room was and she smiled to herself.

She couldn't help but feel happy at the idea of living in the Phantomhive manor. However in the back of her mind the encounter she'd shoved back there was stirring and she felt a strange pang in her heart at the thought of those cold emotionless gold eyes and she frowned gently then walked to her bedroom door and shut it behind her wondering why it was that demon was sticking to her mind when it was just one little run in they'd had.

She frowned then shook her head pulling her blazer off then loosened her tie and kicked off her shoes then climbed on the bed resting her head on the pillow taking her glasses off resting them on the little table by the bed and she blew out the candle that was flickering there and she closed her eyes but even as she drifted to sleep the demon flickered across her mind and she allowed sleep to take her.


	2. Chapter 2

Elodie woke up slowly the next morning, a part of her wanted to continue to sleep but some part of her was restless like it was whispering for her to get up, that there's somewhere she's to be but her eyes didn't want to open. It wasn't until the knock on her door registered in her mind and ears that her eyes slowly opened revealing a thick fog of sleep that changed her eyes to a dark mossy green as she rolled over to look at the door.

You'd think that because she was the first ever born Shinigami or Death God that she'd have terrible vision like her other parent and other Death God's but she didn't surprisingly, well her vision could be better it was mostly just blurry but she could make out objects and colors but nothing far away which is why she wore glasses. She could see it was Grell standing in the door way wearing his usual red coat and she rolled onto her back her arm slung across her stomach as her hair spread across the pillow, blinking slowly and groggily as she looked at the red head with a sort of blank expression.

"Elodie we need to go to Head Quarters, they've been asking for you." Grell murmured sounding fairly concerned for his daughter who seemed to finally wake up fully and she sat up right grabbing her glasses and pulling them on blinking a couple more times.

"Okay. . What's it about?" She asked swinging her feet over the edge of the bed as she stood up her hair sticking up in places as she pulled her tie on then her blazer and walked towards Grell who just pursed his lips gently before sighing as she slipped her shoes on.

"It's about a demon you might've had a run in with." Grell said as they walked out the bedroom door and Elodie shut the door with ease and though she looked calm, practically pushed out the fake feeling of being fine, she felt her heart racing in her chest and her stomach cramped tightly with nerves.

"I see." Elodie murmured gently though she felt like screaming but the both of them walked down the hall, their steps muffled and she felt her heart accelerating quickly with each step that brought her towards the stair case and she clenched her hands tightly against the desire to reach for Grell's hand and hold it tightly much like she used to when she was a child. They reached the stairs going down them in unison perfectly and when they began going down the large stair case Sebastian seemed to just appear out of nowhere. Normally that used to scare Elodie when she was little but now it was sort of welcomed for her father to appear out of nowhere now and she smiled softly at him but he had a mask of just unreadable emotion on his face.

"Grell." He said simply as he always did when he saw Grell now, he got stiff and his face was unreadable ad he seemed to just cringe to be in the same room as Grell even worse now.

"Sebastian." Grell replied just as simply and he grabbed Elodie's hand pulling her down the stairs reaching the bottom and they went past Sebastian and right out the door. When they started walking Grell looked at his daughter out of the corner of his eyes. "The demon you ran into last night, his name is Claude Faustus, he's in a contract with Alois Trancy. He's a cold demon, something the Reapers hate and are constantly avoiding. Normally he has zero concerns of other creatures, being a creature himself, many of the Grim Reapers were very surprised that he caught you before you fell."

"What?" Elodie said jolting with surprise as she looked at Grell, her eyes a touch wide as her hands paused their mission to smooth the hair that was sticking up as she blinked in surprise.

"You think you're never being watched? They've been watching you from day one Elodie, they want to know what kind of creature you are, whether you're going to end up more Reaper than demon, so they watch you to make sure you don't screw up." Grell said as they walked then he stopped walking which surprised Elodie and he sighed reaching up stroking her hair down in a motherly way despite how he came off as and she blushed a tiny bit when the hair stayed down, feeling a bit stupid she couldn't get the hairs down herself.

"I. . see. That's a bit weird when you think about it. I didn't know I was being watched. . "Elodie murmured as she looked down her brows pulling together but Grell just sighed out softly stroking Elodie's cheek softly.

"It's like losing your privacy I would guess. But they just wish to speak to you about him is all. Probably to make sure you won't turn into a true mini version of me." Grell said then grinned flashing sharp, shark-like teeth that made Elodie smile.

She knew-somewhat- of what her mother-like figure was like before she had been born, constantly obsessing over her father, that sort of thing but it was more than anyone wanted to go into detail about. She knew though, which she guessed inspired some fear for the Reaper community to be a bit apprehensive for her to be running into a demon. And. . if she was honest, in an unsubconscious manner, she WAS thinking about Claude Faustus, his face seeming to be imprinted in her subconscious mind.

"I understand." Elodie said smiling back at Grell and they resumed walking together, Elodie thinking and Grell just lost in his own thoughts which were most likely memories that Elodie didn't feel like disturbing those thoughts.

They continued walking towards the familiar streets of London and she saw Ronald and William waiting for them. She had to admit that-other than his womanizing and sometimes drinking problem- Ronald was pretty attractive and appealed to her on a certain level but he didn't spark that somewhat interest in her the way Claude had in just that one meeting. She tensed as her waist burned with a wamrth where Claude's arm had been and she trembled faintly to herself internally and she felt the urge to just trace the path his arm had made and they stopped right in front of the two other Reapers finally.

"Elodie. I understand you stayed with. . Ciel Phantomhive last night." William said in his usual straight-down-to-business tone and she sighed internally.

"Yes I did, it started to rain and I just felt like heading over to be with them for the night. I might even take up a permanent residence in the manor." William tensed at her words slightly, a cold look flashing in his eyes for a moment but a glare from Grell kept him from saying anything but Ronald just smirked at her as he stood behind William.

"I see. Well I must speak to you about the demon, Claude Faustus." William said, his tone a bit cold as he stared at Elodie who tensed a little bit.

"I understand. But like I told Gre-Mother, is that I had said nothing to him truly, we just ran into each other and he kept me from falling. Story over." Elodie said a slight irritated tone seeping into her voice and Grell lightly hit her side gently and she bit the inside of her cheek immediately regretting the words.

"Even so, we do not want you to be in contact with him again even if it is a run in. We want you to stay far away from him no matter the costs, we will not have a repeat of what happened between Sebastian and Grell." Was it just her imagination or did William sound just a little bit jealous? She smirked internally and the corners of her lips twitched and she bit the inside of her cheek harder again as she nodded solemnly.

"Alright." She said, releasing teeth from her cheek long enough to even speak and William nodded seeming to be satisfied with her answer but even so he also didn't seem that satisfied with her answer also when she didn't promise not to see Claude, just said alright to not too. Not that she wouldn't.

"Then we shall see you later on in the day. Grell let us go and get our job for the day done." William barked, his tone authorative as he turned walking forward with Ronald trailing after him and with a kiss to her temple, Grell rushed after them making her sigh.

She crossed her arms across her waist looking at her little family leave and disappear leaving her behind. She really did love them even if she hated them sometimes but the Reapers and those in the Phantomhive's were her family and she loved them both deeply. But honestly in that moment she felt like Juliet, being told not to see the boy-or demon in this case- for she was forbidden to because of who he was.

She bit her lip shaking her head gently her ars tightening around her waist tighter as she hugged herself tightly standing in place, as she stared up at the sky, her glasses sliding down her nose a little bit but she didn't move her arms to push them up and she sighed as a breeze moved the scenery around her and lifted hair off her shoulders as her eyes fluttered shut softly.

It was the cold presence of a demon that made her muscles clench but she kept her arms around her waist as she opened her eyes a little bit to see Claude Faustus standing right in front of her, just eleven steps away from her but he was close enough that she could take in the liquid gold of his eyes. He was cold and calculating, just standing there looking at her but he had a slightly angry look to his features and he seemed just irritated with her for some reason and she glared at him instead of feeling insulted.

"What." She said glaring and he immediately scowled at her, surprising her that he could even show emotion.

"You. I didn't think you were one of those Reaper's nor did I know you were a Michaelis. Or would you be a Sutcliff or Phantomhive?" Claude said, his tone emotionless as she glared hotter than usual and his lips twitched a little bit.

"What the hell does it matter to you for." She snapped, her green eyes livid as she glared at him her jaw clenched tight and her hands formed into fists against her hips.

"I'm simply curious. I knew you weren't human from your scent, but now that I know why it was so alluring is because you're half demon and half Grim Reaper. It's a fairly interesting mix." Claude said evenly looking at her and even though his face remained impassive his eyes seemed to smirk at her smugly. He knew he got under her skin and she hated it so much that he knew he got under her skin this way. As much as she felt an urge to go step closer to him and press against him, to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him with a fevervent eagerness she also wanted to slap him and run her Scythe through him at the same time.

"Why don't you just go the hell away and leave me in peace." She snapped once again her eyes hard as jewels, her jaw tight and her heart was slamming against her chest hard with anger. Why didn't she just leave with William? That way she wouldn't have to be dealing with this demon, that way she wouldn't be letting her anger get the best her, if she was honest she wanted to just scream and stomp her feet like a child throwing a tantrum that fate was so stupid and an honest bitch for making her stay behind as the others left to work and Claude had appeared in front of her.

"But what fun would that be? You're an interesting creature, I'd like to observe or even be just an aquaintance to you." Claude said the same smirk shining in his eyes but his face remained still and cold.

"No! I want nothing to do with you, you disgust me. You're just a disgusting demon!" She yelled losing her grip on her anger for just a moment and it made Claude actually smirk!

"I see I see. Well even so, even if you're words and mind may think a certain way, I can sense you are rather interested in me. Are you not?" Claude asked with just a subtle raise of his dark perfect brow, also ruining the cold, immobile features of his and she glared grinding her teeth together tight feeling her hands begin to shake with irritation and anger though some part of her couldn't understand why.

"No I'm not." She growled, her eyes nearly glowing with her anger as she walked past in him large, hard steps as she glared at him as she passed then began to walk on the beginning of the cobble stone street when his next words froze her.

"I think you might be. Demon's know many things, so if I so wished I could find out everything there is to know of you Elodie Margarett Michaelis Sutcliff." She felt her eyes widen a bit as he said her full name. Barely anyone knew her full name, aside from Sebastian and Grell, maybe William knew but he never used her full name, but the fact that he knew her full name made her freeze. Before she though her name was long, what with her two last names but it was a bit pretty, graceful and sweet sounding yet something older in a way but the way Claude said it, it made it sound like a joke.

"Leave me alone." She growled out again through clenched teeth as she glared at the ground, her brows pulled tightly together, this unknown angry, hatred like feeling growing in her along side this other more glowing feeling that shivered when she even so much as THOUGHT the man's name.

"I'm afraid I won't be leaving you alone any time soon. If my master wishes me to do so, then I can find out all I want about you." He said, his tone had a finalized under current to his words and his face was cold, barren of any sign of him smirking or raising a brow as he looked over his shoulder at her.

She didn't offer a reply before she took off running forward. She dashed around people walking on the side walk, her arms pumping at her sides as her heart thudding quickly against her chest with anger and that same glowing feeling as she ran. She didn't want to be involved with Claude Faustus, nothing good came from demon's, yet even as she wanted to run from him she felt the unearthly feeling of wanting nothing more than to run right back to Claude, to be held and to kiss him.

She clenched her jaw wishing she'd never met the man the previous night, if only she knew she would be feeling this potently and this fiercely about him, then maybe she wouldn't have gone to see her father but some part of her just felt that even if she didn't go to her father that night, then she would've met Claude anyways and that's the reason why her stomach clenched with a feeling of pure foreboding .


	3. Chapter 3

"Claude, what have you found out about Sebastian Michaelis?" Claude turned his head looking at his small blonde master, Alois Trancy, who looked at him with a bored expression on his face but his blue eyes were sharp with a look that was keen and waiting patiently for an answer which made Claude feel a small twitch of irritation.

He knew he'd have to tell him about the girl, yet some part of him was extremely unwilling to speak anything about her strange as that was, after all she was an abomination, he should be telling his master everything, if he ordered it too he'd have no control over what spilled from his lips. He hated the girl, she was a wretched, small delicate thing that had imprinted upon him since the other night, his waking thoughts had focused keenly on her scent, her warmth but at the same time he was disgusted with himself for even thinking that way.

"Claude!" Alois snapped drawing the man from his thoughts as he blinked then sighed out lightly.

"Nothing much has changed. I met the Michaelis girl, she seems strongly tied with the Phantomhive servants and Lord Phantomhive and Sebastian very much so and she has very strong ties to the other Death Gods." Claude said, as though to get the words out before Alois could order him to say it anyways and Alois nodded gently.

"I see. Claude tell me something."

"What would that be?"

"This Michaelis girl, how valuable would she have to be?"

"Very valuable."

"Valuable as in Michaelis would be crushed if something were to. . . happen to her?"

". . Yes."

"Then I have a plan for you Claude." Alois said slowly, his words thick with a sort of cunning happy tone with whatever plan he came up with and Claude looked at his master in an emotionless way .

"What would that be?" Claude repeated as he looked intently at Alois and though he was a demon, something indestructable, strong, immortal and made of pure sin itself, something that was utterly emotionless except for the thrill of a hunt or contract so he SHOULD not be feeling a bit apprehensive as to what the blonde's plan could be.

"I want you to get close to the girl. I want you to make her trust you, even fall in love with her and make yourself more apart of her life but keep it secret then I want you to kill her. If you do this then I shall offer up my soul for you. You'll needn't be hungry anymore and you'll be. . free of me." Alois looked down at the desk's surface. Was that a flash of pain that accompanied those last two words?

"When should I start on this plan?" Claude asked looking at his master who seemed to suddenly shift into a melancholy mood and he looked at Claude under his lashes, his blue eyes seeming dark and he rested his chin against the surface of the desk.

"Immediately. No, I ORDER you to do it, immediately. This plan must be done in the next month or so." With that Claude walked towards the door then turned bowing to Alois gently though the blonde was covering his head with his arms.

"Yes, Your Highness." He said then turned to the door pulling it open and walking out shutting it quietly behind him blowing out a soft breath, smoothin a hand over his hair gently as he began to walk down the hall, determined to use every ounce of charm, seduction and yes, even looks, to his disposal to get this plan done even if he didn't want to do it that much he had too.

It was an order and besides, once it was done he'd get his soul and he would wash his hands of the Phantomhive manor and the creatures inside he walked down the hall reaching the stairs quickly, his shoes making sharp brisk clicks against the floor as he walked, passing the Triplets and as he rushed down the stairs he passed Hannah who looked at him curiously but he was out the door before anyone could question him.

* * *

"Elodie!" Elodie blinked out of her thoughts as the shout of her name brought her to her surroundings, realizing she'd been staring blankly into her book and she quickly shoved it into her coat as she looked up. She relaxed visibly when she saw it was Ronald, a natural soft smile pulling at her lips.

"Hey Ronald!" She called back as Ronald rushed up to her, grinning in a way that made his green eyes sparkle and Elodie realized her heart was skipping a tiny bit as she looked at him.

"What are you doing? You looked like you were kind of spacing out for a while." Ronald said as he grinned looking at her and she laughed gently feeling her anger wash away as she smiled back at him.

"I was kind of spacing, just thinking about some things is all." She said with just a little shake of her head as she smiled at him continuously feeling more at peace than ever in his presence. Though he was indeed what others would call a "player" or womanizer, Elodie couldn't deny how she sometimes thought of him, how her heart picked up a tiny bit in his presence and the way she noticed the small things about him.

"I see I see. Well would you mind it if I accompanied you on your jobs today?" Ronald asked as he held out his arm and she realized with a little jolt that just seeing his arm held out for her- _her!_ \- she wanted desperately to take it but then she wondered if she was just another one of his little games but if she was then she'd willingly play and beat him.

"But of course you can!" Putting on more heaviness on her soft brittish accent grinning widely at him as she placed her gloved hand in the crook of his elbow and he smirked at her laughing a bit.

"That's terrible you know. One with an accent should never put more emphasis on it." Ronald said laughingly as they walked down street, nearly skipping if that were possible and she smirked back wondering when she started noticing things about Ronald, when she started feeling these little flutters.

"Psh, one with an accent should always emphasis on it! How else will anyone understand the accent?" Elodie said with a raise of her dark brow smirking at him as they walked and he threw his head back laughing out louder than before and her heart squeezed at the sound.

"That is so wrong, my dear. You need to get some schooling for you." Ronald all but shouted as he laughed while they walked down the street, their shoes clicking against the ground in unison and she noticed they were coming up to a little park or if you could call it that, but it was her favorite place since it had a little pond in the center of it that she loved a lot.

"I thought you were going to accompany me to my jobs?" She asked raising her brow again as she looked at him adjusting her glasses with her free hand.

"I am. But I just wish to talk to you about something important and I figured this would be a good place for you." He said making some part of her clench with nerves and also a bit of dread wondering what kind of talk he wanted to have with her.

"Alrigghtt." She said drawing the word out looking at him uncertainly as she navigated them to the water and she stood on the edge, her shoes sinking into the wet ground surrounding it gently, listening to the people walking past, the children running across the large expanse of grass laughing cheefully. It was hard to think she had been one of those children just a short sixteen years ago, now that she was eighteen it was strange.

"Elodie, you know you're special right?"

"I. . guess? I never considered myself special."

"Well you are and. . . Well I am finding myself to care for you Elodie. I know I could say many things before saying that but I want to tell you now, that I care for you." Ronald's hands wrapped around her upper arms turning her towards him and her eyes widening a bit, wondering why this was happening now and she wanted nothing more than to go back and say no to taking his arm, no to letting him come with her but like the feeling she had when she and Claude talked, this was just unavoidable and would have happened eventually.

"Ronald-"

"Just. . listen to me please. I'm trying to clean up my act, I am, because I want to be with you Elodie. You're special and since I became a God Of Death, I haven't really felt like this for another person." Ronald said as he looked at her and she felt panic well inside of her as she realized some part of her had always hoped for this from Ronald, that he would come and hold her, tell her how he felt but. . she also for some reason felt that it would be betraying Claude. She looked at him wordlessly, her mouth opening and closing as she attempted to speak.

"Ronald. . . I. . .You just. . . "She couldn't form a full sentence making her cheeks flush but she couldn't say anything more because Ronald leaned forward kissing her.

She froze even as her muscles tensed, his lips pressed to hers making her cheeks flush to a darker red, her heart skipping as her eyes slowly slid shut as she stood there almost marveling at how his lips, soft and velvety, felt against hers. She slowly inched her arms up and around his neck, aware no one could really see them, for it was kind of like a gift that Gods of Death couldn't be seen unless truly focused upon and she began to kiss him back just a bit still feeling hesitant.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, warm and solid around her and she felt her body relaxing like melted butter, his heart beginning to beat a bit faster as she kissed him a bit more feverently, her body trembling and her skin began to warmt slowly as he held her and she was aware of the sounds around her but her mind was singled on the warmth flowing through her body, the way her skin began to grow hotter and hotter nearly humming with the arousal that was beginning to form and unfold within her body as she buried her hands in his hair.

She found she liked these emotions as she pressed her body against his, her breasts giving a shocking throb as her nipples began to harden through her clothes from the proximity of her body to his, an exlectric throb echoed down between her thighs nearly making her gasp as she kissed him deeply and almost faster, as though she was more eager now that she gave herself to these sensations, wondering on the reasons why she should be together with Ronald rather than the why she shouldn't be with him.

Her mind flashed to Claude and guilt began to override the pleasure and lus unfolding in her body and, despite how her breasts throbbed with an ache for Ronald's hand and heat sizzled between her legs with a constant throb and suspicious wetness she pulled back, the guilt began to slowly push the pleasure down and as she caught her breath she felt her body begin to calm down slowly. She bit her lip as her cheeks blazed with heat, her heart racing and she looked up at Ronald through her lashes, her glasses dangling dangerously off the tip of her nose as she looked at Ronald. Lord in Heaven above knew what she wanted but she trembled now with a fear rather than arousal.

"I-I'm sorry. I c-can't. I'm sorry." She stuttered out before pulling herself out of his arms and bolted away, her shoes making soft padding noises in the grass and she heard Ronald yell out her name for her to come back but she just kept running as her hair blew over her shoulders and cooling her cheeks.

She couldn't, she just couldn't. She wouldn't ruin her frindship with Ronald, not when she was sure she felt an attraction toward another man-demon whatever he was! She felt tears prick at her eyes for the first time in a long time and she turned into an alley way leaning against the wall as tears pooled in her eyes and she pulled her glasses off just as the tears slid down and she sniffled lightly wondering exactly why she was crying and the tears continued to fall down her cheeks, one by one and she rubbed them away in vain because more just joined the first round of tears.

She felt like running to Grell or Sebastian but how could she tell them she'd just experienced her first kiss with someone who she cared for but can't do anything about it-or wasn't willing too- because she was attracted to another? She felt a sob build in her throat as she continued to rub her eyes and she heard the click of shoes approaching her then stopping.

"Go away Ronald, please." She said with a thick voice that was filled with tears and cracked embarrassingly and pressed the back of her hands against her eyes.

"I'm sorry to disapppoint you but I am not this Ronald person." The owner of the voice said making Elodie snap her head up, just barely making out the immobile features of Claude Faustus.

"Go away! I don't want to talk to you! I don't even want to see you!" She yelled as tears cascaded down her cheeks and she felt embarrassed by it but he shocked her when he reached out a gloved hand bringing one finger across the bottom of her eye wiping the tears away.

"A woman such as you shouldn't be crying." He said in a way that should have been warm but the words sounded stiff and awkard but it made her laugh humorlessly.

"Shut up. You're being stupid, I hate you so why bother comforting me?" Elodie said as she looked at Claude who looked back at her.

"Because it. . . _bothers_ me that you are crying." Claude replied as he looked at her and she felt a heat crawl up her neck but she forced it down.

"You shouldn't lie." Elodie said smirking humorlessly at him and he lifted his other hand up stroking her tears away with his gloved thumbs and she couldn't help but blush at the actions.

"I am not lying to you. I am a demon and I do lie but this is one thing I am not lying about." He said almost seriously as he looked down at her, his gold eyes expressionless confusing her a bit.

"You're just a demon, you don't like my kind. You shouldn't be comforting me." She said in response, the confusion ringing in her tone as she looked at him her brows pulling together tightly.

"And your kind would be half demon, half Shinigami?" He said looking at her raising a brow surprising her with the term. "I haven't a problem with the demon half."

"Just go away." She murmured, feeling tired and though she told him to go she wanted him to desperately stay and she felt angry that she wanted him to stay.

"How can I leave a weeping girl such as you by herself?" Claude asked looking at her one brow still raised and she glared at him a bit.

"I bet you've left thousands of weeping girls before. I'm not exception." She snapped at him, her green eyes sudden flaring with irritation and he actually chuckled!

"There's that familiar anger. I find myself rather drawn to your anger." Claude admitted looking at her with amusement shining in his gold eyes.

"Shut up!" She shouted out feeling more angry and she pulled her face away from his hands glaring and stormed past him getting to the entrance of the alley way but his words stopped her.

"Tell me, wouldn't you want to know me better?" He asked suddenly making her heart skip a bit and she stopped mid stride as he turned towards her and she turned her head looking at him through the dark curtain of her hair.

"No." She forced the lie out then took off running away as she had done with Ronald and took off down the street, her shoes clicking against the ground and she felt abruptly tired again wishing the day over and she wondered if she could just take a break for the day and go see her father.

She stopped once then decided she would go see her father, see Finny who would listen to her, Mey-Rin who might possibly understand, the strange but funny advice Bardroy could give her and she would spend time bantering with Ciel and spend time with her father. The ideas that rolled through her mind warmed her surprisingly and she forced herself to run faster in the same direction though the manor was another way she didn't want to run into Claude or Ronald. She'd just have to take the long way and as she ran she wondered when her life took such a confusing turn.


	4. Chapter 4

"I see, I may not have much experience with this romance type problem you have but maybe you shouldn't lead one along while you want another. It wouldn't be right." Finny said looking very serious, his beautiful aqua eyes looking very serious just like his facial expression as he looked at Elodie.

"I know. I'll talk to the other boy later on. Thank you for listening, like always Finny." Elodie replied forcing a little sad smile and he reached a gloved hand out patting her shoulder getnly smiling brightly at her, like a sudden flip of emotion that always seem to perk Elodie up a little bit.

"You can always talk to me. Or Mey-Rin or Bard, after all we're like your two uncles and aunt, so feel free to talk to us whenever." Finny said making her smile at him. Sometimes it was hard to believe that Finny was just six years older than her, when he was sweet and caring and maybe just a bit more childish than normal twenty-four year olds and it made her happy.

"I'll remember that." She replied smiling and she pulled bck a little bit then turned to teh front doors again. "I think I'll also talk to Mey-Rin about this."

"Good! I'm sure she'll be much more help than me!" Finny said with a laugh, that made her smile again at him her eyes seeming to laugh with him as she looked over her shoulder at him.

"You were great help Finny. I'll talk to you later!" She said rather cheerfully before running inside feeling a bit more optimistic about things and just as she ran in through the doors she slammed into the person she most wanted to talk to right then. "Mey-Rin!"

"Y-Yes?" Mey-Rin stuttered, her glasses laying on the ground, just at her finger tips as her brown eyes as she looked at Elodie.

"You are just the person I was coming to look for! I really need to talk to you!" Elodie said leaning forward as she smiled reaching out instinctively to grab Mey-Rin's hand and held it tight like a friend would. It made Mey-Rin blush but she smiled back at her and reached out with her other hand picking her glasses up and put them on gently.

"Alright, let's talk then." Mey-Rin said as she smiled gently standing up with the help of Elodie's hand and they both walked up the stairs, their steps muffled sounding yet pretty loud as they ran up the stairs. Elodie felt bubbly almost with her new optimisim that she could possibly work out things with Ronald without making things awkward between them. They walked to Mey-Rin's room as their hands stayed clapsed together tight and they walked into her room and Elodie sat on Mey-Rin's bed.

"Mey-Rin, can I just ask you a simple question?" Elodie asked as she looked at the maid who was taking her glasses off again and looked at Elodie giving a little nod as she smiled gently. "Have you ever been kissed by someone, who you may or may not have feelings for, but feel attracted to another person?"

"Hmm. . I can't say I truly have. But to be in that situation sounds a bit rough but knowing you, Elodie, you'll figure it out." Mey-Rin said surprising Elodie a bit as to how the woman knew it was herself she was talking about.

"How'd you know I was talking about myself?" Elodie asked as she tilted her head, her dark hair spilling over one shoulder as she blinked lightly.

"I kind of over-heard you wiht Finny, I was airing out a couple rooms and heard. I didn't mean too! But I honestly think you'll figure it out." Mey-in said smiling gently at Elodie then stepped forward rubbing the top of her head in a motherly sort of way and she smiled gently.

"Thank you for that Mey-Rin. I could talk further about this, but I think maybe I should go and talk to the boy about this." Elodie said as she looked at Mey-Rin who smiled softly nodding gently. "I'll see you later Mey-Rin." She hugged the maid so suddenly the girl gave a squeak of surprise and Elodie was already running out the door, her legs pumping her through the hallway as her shoes hit the carpet hard enough her footsteps were loud and she took a left to go down the stairs quickly, which made loud thumping noises.

She ran down them quick and down the front way of the house and pushed the doors open then shut them as she ran down the pathway, her shoes clicking loudly as she ran and her legs burned just a tiny bit with the exertion but it wasn't enough to make her stop. Her demonic half was able to handle running for very long periods of time but then she would cramp up like any normal human would after running a long time.

She ran down the pathway fast, through the scenery of trees without pausing and her hair flew away from her face and she pumped her arms at her side. The question remained as to where Ronald was, how she could talk to him about this and see if they can move past it and still be friends. She blushed a bit but blamed it on the running as she ran into town, her body seeming to lean forward to propell her down the street faster and just as she turned the corner she slammed into someone.

A feeling of de ja vu hit her so intently and she gasped this time as she fell to the groun and two arms caught her this time, holding her to a solid, obviously well muscled body though the form of the person was kind of thin, his hair messy and his gold eyes smirked down at her as she groaned internally. How is it that she was always slamming into Claude? She tried to push away but he held her in his arms a bit tigheter standig her up straight as he looked at her, reached up and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear making her blush a bit.

"Why are you still around here? I told you I don't like you and that I don't want to know more about you!" She hissed out her eyes narrowing as she glared at Claude who just smiled at her a tiny bit and she glared harder.

"It seems like I'm always running into you. Or you running into me." Claude said as he smiled a little bit more and she scowled, hating that some part of her mind was captivated at the way his lips twitsed and moved up gently.

"Shut up! Let me go I need to go and talk to Ronald!" SHe snapped angrily, losing her patience the longer she rested within his arms and though she wanted to wrench herself away from him and slap him, some part of her was growing to want to be in his arms longer, rest there for as logn as possible, to kiss and holt him as he held her but she shook those thoughts away angrily.

"Honestly Elodie, can't you admit you at least feel some odd amount of attraction towards me?" Claude asked, sounding genuinely curious and. . a bit hurt? She looked up into his gold eyes, her cheeks hot with anger and embarrassment as she stared at him and her skin was humming through her clothes much like it had when she'd been in Ronald's arms but this was much more intense, her skin was aching just to be stroked by Claude's bare hands, she wanted to love him the best she could, wanted to cling to him and be on his arm and even make love to him whenever possible, thedifferent to how she felt with Ronald and Claude was so much different.

"I. . . I don't want to answer that." She said, sounding a bit embarrassed as she looked down, her lashes concealing her eyes and her cheeks burned when she was suddenly pulled into an alley. She wondered why she was always finding herself into alley ways now a days but she couldn't dwell on it as she looked up at Claude.

"Give me one kiss, just _one_ , and if you decide you don't like it I'll stop this foolish game." Claude said, his face immobile as ever as he looked at Elodie rather seriously and he reached up sliding her glasses to the top of her head gently and he actually took his own glasses off putting them in his breast pocket.

She felt suddenly nervous as she watched him lean in closer and sheshsut her eyes quickly and tightly, her cheeks hot and her breath came a bit faster and. . she jerked with surprise waiting for some unpleasant feeling but there was no unpleasantness at all, if anything his lips were full and cool against her own, as though shaped perfectly for hers. She blushed but wound her arms up around his shoulders burying her hands in his hair instinctively, her lips beginning to respond gently against his and the kiss seemed to take on a life of it's own.

Their lips moved almost hungrily against one another, her body pressed to his as she ached desperately to have her clothes shed and he growled quietly a surprising schange in his normally cold stature and she jolted when she felt his arm circling her waist as their kiss went on, her breath coming fast through her nose as her face burned. His arm was wrapped so tight around her she felt like nothing would get it off but it felt good, better than how Ronald's had felt and thankfully she didn't really feel the burning guilt she had when she'd kissed ROnald but even so she did feel a good amount of guilt for what she was doing.

She let out a small little moan into the kiss as she felt a hand rub and caress her breast, her back arching forward to press to his hand as her heart began to accelerate, her back was then pushed roughly to the wall as his hand moved UNDER her shirt and she began to panick a little bit but the feel oof his gloved hand on her breast was like a rush of electricity through her system. She couldn't stop her body from humming with approval and for MORE but with his hand pressing nad playing with her breast felt like enough for the moment.

She lifted one leg curling it around his hip tightly pulling him closer and their pelvis' slammed together roughly as she kept her leg around his hip, another moan leavng her mouth and a growl left his. This was getting so hot so fast, so desperate and so just right that Elodie wanted to stay in this kiss forever but she couldn't as Ronald was nagging at her mind but she found that she didn't even need to focus on him and that made her feel guilty.

She pulled away from the kiss gulping in fresh air as her face burnd hotly, she felt his lips trailing along her jawline which set her skin ablaze, his lips moving lower and lower aong her neck line. She rolled her hips in a circle as she shivered roughly with the sensation and she panted quietly as he sucked on her neck gently, his teeth jsut barely digging into her skin making her moan softly, his hand continuing to fondle and squeeze her breast as she shuddered with pleasure. But then she remembered exactly WHO this was and why she shouldn't be doing this and she grabbed his shoulders and shoved him away hard and she leaned against the wall as he collapsed against the wall next to her.

Her face was hot as hell, her gaze a bit blurry and she slid her glasses off her head and looked at him to see his own cheeks, shockingly, were a light light red barely even there but she could see it. She scowled at him as he pulled his own glasses on but she knew he didn't need them and she blushed heavily, her body screeching for Claude to come back, to touch her more and give her more pleasure. She kept her jaw clenched on the feeling. She slowly caught her breath as she glared at him, hating the effect he had on her body, on her mind and impulses and she inched towards the entrance of the alley way.

"What the bloody hell is your problem?! Why'd you do that?" She snapped at him, her eyes nearly glowing with her anger and she swore she could hear the grinding of her teeth as she glared at him.

"I told you just one kiss. if you decided you didn't like it I'll stop this game. Now tell me, honestly and don't lie, did you like that kiss? Because I know for a FACT that you did." Claude looked as immobile and unfaze as usual which seemed to fuel Elodie's anger as she glared at him continuously. She knew she couldn't deny the fact that she had liked the kiss. . . and the touches. . and the fondling. She cursed herself for even letting things get that far and she clenched her hands into fists tightly.

"Fine. I liked it." She growled out angrily as her eyes burned into him and he actually grinned as he looked back at her pushing his glasses up gently.

"If you did, then it shouldn't be so bad to actually _talk_ with me like a sane person, now would it?" Claude asked with a tilt of his head as he looked at Elodie who just blushed heavily as she glared.

"It would! You practically just molested me right there, you pervert. Just because I said I like the _kiss_ didn't mean I want to talk to you. I'd rather stab myself in the eye with my Death Scythe than talk with you." Claude blinked lightly once and she glared as the man heavily even as her face burned hotly.

"That's a tad dramatic, don't you think?" Claude raised his brow as he said it and Elodie felt nothing but anger building up and she clenched her fists hard.

"No it's not! Just leave me alone why don't you?" She snapped as her palms tingled with the need to slap and punch the demon behind her as she glared and wondered why the hell she was even still standing there. She stepped forward to get away when her hand was suddenly cuccooned in his and he pulled her back against his chest and his other arm wrapped around her waist as her face burned and his breath tickled her ear gently.

"You know you don't want me to leave you alone. You may not be saying it but I know you want to be involved with me in some degree. Thinking we'd be something like star-crossed lovers, am I right? If I am then why not indulge yourself in a forbidden relationship for just a bit?" Claude whispered into her ear, his voice pure silk and velvet, it was so sweet she felt tempted to say yes but she was being held back by what she knew was right and wrong but that was slowly blurring.

"I. . . No I never. . . " She scrambled for words as he chuckled and bit her earlobe softly then sucked on it gently to get rid of the sting making her shiver as her heart gave a hard thud against her chest. Then she shoved away from him as she blushed heavily shaking her head. "I need to go." She mumbled then took off running quickly but his words seemed to stick with her.

He knew what she had thought, what she was feeling and she needed to get away away away! She needed to breath, needed to get her head together. To forget the way his hands had felt against her body and the way his lips felt against hers. She just needed to breath! If she needed to then where the hell was all the damn air? Why did it feel like she was breathing through a small funnel as she ran?

Even though it felt like she was barely breathing she pumped her legs quickly with her arms pumping at her sides in unison, her hair streaming behind her like a dark gothic cape and her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as she sprinted past all the people, feeling like she was scream if she had to so much as talk to another person. How could talking to Finny and Mey-Rin and feeling optomistic turn into this?

She didn't know but as she stopped, hands braced on her knees as she panted, trying to gulp some fresh air into her burning lungs, she felt like Claude was tempting her still, like her body was aching for his touch and his touch alone, it was horrible to her but as she caught her breath she couldn't help but think a little traitorious thought. Would it be so bad to give in just this once?


	5. Chapter 5

Elodie sat on top of a roof, it was just one of a random house not that she cared and she stared off into space. She hugged her knees to her chest tightly as she stared vacantly, her cheeks still felt hot but it was beginning to irritate the hell out of her the more she sat and thought about what happened. She sighed out gently then stood up, her face finally starting to cool down slowly and she pulled out her book scanning over the names and shut it gently, tucking it into the pocket inside her blazer and she rushed backwards then ran forward launching herself across and onto the next house's grinned a tiny bit then repeated the process again and again and again until she jumped down to the ground standing in front of a little house, the exact one she needed to be at and she sighed in relief.

She pulled her little book out again and her Death Scythe seemed to appear out of nowhere beside her and she blew out a soft breath as she stretched her arms out, her Scythe held tight in her hand and she pushed her glasses up softly as her hair shifted in the light breeze and the crisp, sweetish smell of rain filled her senses and she smiled. She loved rain, it was her favorite weather, even the dark gloomy days she felt the most perky and those were the days she could do her job better.

She figured she might just move somewhere where it rained a lot and she could just enjoy it. She blew out a soft breath gently and looked at the name as she moved a hand through her hair. Maria Halestorm. She was to die in a house fire at approximately ten pm.

She looked up at the house, her green eyes a bit dark as she waited and when the light waft of smoke began to fill her senses much as the sweet scent of rain did and she blew out a soft breath as her eyes shut, somewhat hating this part of the job and she lifted her arms above her head gently again and the smokey scent grew stronger and stronger with each passing minute until flames began to lick at the curtains hanging in the bedroom window.

The fire began to engulf the window, the glass beginning to steam up with the intensity of the heat and then, fate may have it, a second fire began to form in the bottom half of the house, the flames getting higher and more intense, it was then that Elodie could all but hear the sound of a girl's panicked breathes.

She clenched her jaw a bit as the girl inside, Maria, began to panic and Elodie knew how this was going to go down. Maria would panic and try to her her bedroom, the minute she did she'd rush downstairs, trip down the stair case and fall into the fire at the bottom of the steps and be burned alive.

She closed her eyes as the people around her who had been making their way home after their productive lives, began to shout as the flames began to burst through the glass windows of Maria's house, shouted at other's to get water but Elodie knew they would to late. Maria will be dead before they got the flames out, not one of them thinking of the girl inside.

They moved past her as if she was just a simple pole, throwing water onto the house, the flames hissing in response but she knew how this would end, the feeling of wanting to scream suddenly burst inside her, she wanted to scream for them to stop, that it was useless that she was already going to die but she kept her jaw clenched tight as she watched them try to put the fire in vain.

It took some time but thunder roared in the sky and the water began to pour down, soaking everything in a matter of seconds, the fire seemed unrelenting as it was slowly put out, large billows of black smoke rising into the sky that turned gray then white. People shouted out to one another to check and see if anything-or anyone-was damaged. She walked through the people, her hair drifting over her shoulders like black silk and she walked into the now half charred house, a body rested at the bottom of the stairs at an odd twisted fashion, the skin blackened or peeling away in other places. Maria Halestorm.

She opened her book where the girls name seem to glow out above the others and she stamped next to her name, going through the cinematic records before walking away as other's began to run in and shout that Maria was dead but Elodie was already leaping onto the top of a house and walking across it softly.

She opened her book holding it in her black gloved hand looking at the next job with what looked like dark, haunted almost eyes as she blew out a soft breath closing her eyes gently, her hair tickling her cheeks as the rain began to soak her thoroughly causing hair to stick to her skin like dark, wet tendrils. She wondered why it was now the jobs, the people, were getting to her but she didn't want to even begin thinking about it and she shivered gently as she walked forward gently.

* * *

Twenty deaths later, Elodie was beginning to feel worn down, her mind a bit cracky and more than anything she wanted to be with someone and strangely that someone. . was Claude. Her body jerked a tiny bit, her eyes widening as she realized that, her cheeks beginning to burn darkly, as she stood there, her heart beginning to pound against her chest as she looked at the ground practically seeing nothing. She couldn't believe it. She shook her head hard, hard enough her neck hurt a tiny bit, her head grew only slightly dizzy and her hair whipped at her face harshly then she fixed her glasses,pushing them up and glared at nothing in particular.

She blew out a soft breath as the ran continued to pound down with no mercy and she walked off the roof she had been on and fell down to the ground landing on her feet perfectly then she walked down the street, were barely any human was walking, clearly smart not to be caught up in the rain but she enjoyed it. She shut her eyes softly letting her head fall back as a soft smile pulled at her lips and she sighed with content at the feeling of the cool water and she felt tired.

Very tired to the point she was tempted to just do that weird flash mist thing her father showed her when she was about seven, how demons could get to one pllace to quickly without using their speed. She was just about too when the click of shoes got her attention. She blinked gently looking over her shoulder, a soft shiver going through her and she felt her eyes widen just a bit as she looked at Claude. Why is it that he always showed up when she was either tired, angry or alone?

"Well well, seems you got wet." Claude said with a raise of his brow and she felt like decking him in the face for such a stupid assumption. She sighed out softly not really in the mood to be getting into a screaming match with the femon.

"Yeah. I did." She said shortly, strugglign to keep a yawn down as she began to walk forward, her body surprisingly feeling heavy like someone just sucked the strength out of her body.

"You look rather tired, why don't you just go back to your-mother Grell- if you have too." He said 'mother Grell' as though it was disgusting and vile which pissed Elodie off honestly.

She glared at him clenching her jaw tightly, her teeth grinding together but she felt to tired to work up a full burning anger. "Shut up! I don't care, I'm too tired and I'm not in the bloody mood to deal with you." She snapped glaring at him a bit more tiredly as she turned.

"Well I have a little room I'm renting while I'm in town, that way you needn't come to the Trancy manor and tarnish you're beautiful appearance to others. What about that?" Claude asked raising a brow as he looked at Elodie who stared right back at him.

"What makes you think I'd come to a room with YOU?" She asked as she scowled at the demon, her green eyes flashing angrily at him.

"Because you're for one, very wet and two you look tired and in no real condition to be walking. Come on, I'll be a nice, proper gentleman to you." Claude said as a small little grin pulled at his lips which made a blush begin to crawl up her cheeks and she just crossed her arms, trying to surpress a shiver as she looked at Claude feeling her defenses slowly give away with each moment he looked at her with those gold eyes.

"I. . don't know." She said looking at him, her heart beginning to beat subtly harder against her chest sending warm waves through her as she pushed her glasses up a bit and realized he was holding his hand out to her.

"Come now. Stop being difficult and just come with me so you can get some rest." He said sounding both persuasive and a bit irritated as he looked at her and she sighed gently deciding to just go, that nothing would happen and she could handle that. She sighed out softly then walked forward placing her soaking wet hand into his and his eyes flashed with what looked like triumph.

"Fine fine, let's just go then." She sighed out looking at Claude but some part of her was shivering and excited to go to the room with Claude alone and she wanted to so something so much more with him that startled her which made her body clench with electricity.

"Great. Follow me." With that he held her hand a bit more tighter and he turned walking forward, with her trailing behind so their arms were stretched out as far as they were able leaving some space between them but not a lot and she felt a blush crawling into her cheeks as they got closer to the place where Claude was obviously staying and as they walked she felt her heart begin to pick up speed a little bit as she blushed and he pulled her a little bit faster as they walked and she clenched her jaw.

She didn't like being pulled anywhere and before she could say anything they were walking to a little motel and they walked in making her blush a bit more as the manager of the place obviously looked at her long and hard and made her blush fiercer as they walked to the right and down the hallway then took aright to open a door and Elodie was pulled into the room. It was in side the room that she was in a small space with him, the coldish warmth coming off him as she stood with her back to the door as she looked up at him over the rim of her glasses.

She felt like her heart was going to just slam out of her chest anymoment and it was more than just being alone and so close to Claude, it was the fact that she'd honestly never been alone in the same room with a man. It was fine when it was Grell or Sebastian or even Finny, Bard or Ciel because they were FAMILY, which she and Claude obviously were not, but then again other than her parents, she'd ever spent the night alone with a man and this was making her feel tried not to look as nervous as she honestly felt and she looked down, her lashes lowering gently and casting soft shadows on her cheeks gently.

"No need to be so nervous. Nothing will happen unless your say so." Claude said with a slightly laughing tone and she felt like punching him. She honestly preferred him when he was cold, emotionless, liek a beautiful statue rather than this creature that was smirking at her, pulling her strings and those stupid laughing, smug eyes that looked down on her half the time. She wanted to just shove him away hard and fast but the fact that she's being shoved at Claude any chance possible made her kind of question fate, if this was where she was supposed to be.

"I'm not nervous." She responded finally breaking from her thoughts and she noticed a small bathroom thankfully and she marched past him but because of the puddle she'd made from the water she slipped and he reached out catching her with just her knees touching the floor. She blew out a breath then turned her head softly to the right realizing her hands were clenching onto his upper arms rather tightly, her face just mere inches away from hers and she felt like her heart was going to just convulse and she'd die right then and there from the feeling.

"Why is it you always fall around me in some way?" He asked dryly making her blush furiously, her lip curling a bit as she glared daggers at him puling herself to her feet roughly, her anger simmering over gently as she marched to the bathroom, pulling her wet blazer off.

"Shut up!" She snapped in response, thankful it was short and sweet and she slammed the bathroom door leaning against it and she blushed heavily and fully as she stood there before loosening her tie and she unbuttoned her shirt letting it drop to the floor with a little wet slap sound and she pulled her shoes off following it with her socks and pants then her under clothes, sat by the tub fully naked feeling like her skin was charged with electricity as she began to fill the tub.

She felt so damn sensitive and aware of Claude over in the next room, it was maddening almost as she sat there watching the hot water fill up the tub and when it was finished she just jumped right in practically, almost moaning aloud at how good it felt. She'd been so cold and it was like she'd just realized it as she sat there, her glasses slightly fogged up as she pulled them off, her eyes shutting as she shivered as she sunk down lower in the water, the heat enveloping her in a hot embrace.

It was wonderful and something Elodie enjoyed constantly and when she was sure the shivers were gone she just sat there in the hot water, her skin turning light red in places along with her cheeks flushing gently. When the water finally started getting cold was when she stood up and let the tub drain slowly, then stepped out grabbing a towel wrapping it around herself when she realized with a jerk that all her clothes were wet and that if she went out there she'd be. . .Oh no!

She was flustered as she looked around the bathroom, her cheeks growing hot as she looked around feeling like Claude was just waiting outside the room for her as her hair dripped down her back gently and she then saw a robe and decided if she was to leave the bathroom at least it wouldn't be in a towel. She pulled the robe on hesitating slightly as her hair began to growl wavy from drying when she finally pushed the door open and walked out, her feet padding against the ground softly and Claude looked up at her, his eyes flashing once.

"Don't look at me, you big pervert! I don't have dry clothes so I'll sleep in this I guess." She forced out sounding embarrassed and she felt her cheeks burning as she looked at the single bed. Curses!

"No you can use my tail coat, it'll. . . cover you up some so you shan't be too exposed." Claude said as he turned taking hiss tail coat off and she blushed furiously.

"Fine." She mumbled taking the coat as he turned and she looked at him warily as she slid out of her robe and pulled his tail coat on, buttoning the single button in the middle which covered in between her legs just a bit but not enough which made her feel like a kind of hooker.

She blushed hotly, her breasts looked like they were about to just fall out of the coat, her nipples visible through the black material and her legs were just on full display and it didn't help that the coat moved when she walked. She quickly scambered over to the bed hoping he didn't look at her when she had put it on but she knew he had in some way and she slid under the sheets, her face burning.

"Good night." He said to her as he sat down at the small desk by the right wall and she laid facing him as her face burned hotly and she couldn't help but feel kind of. . . hot, even sexy in his coat as she slowly let her eyes shut, clutching the sleeves of the tail coat in her hands much as she had when she was a child, laying in her father's own tail coat and she surprisingly fell asleep, feeling a bit more relaxed than she had before.


	6. Chapter 6

She truly was an image of beauty when she slept, that much Claude couldn't honestly deny to himself even if he felt irritated by the thought. Her long black hair streamed around her face like long tendrils of black silk, her lashes heavy and thick against her cheeks, her lips parted softly as she breathed evenly and softly. Her hand was curled by her face gently, he could clearly see her legs were crossed under the blankets, her left arm was crossed over her chest so her finger tips touched her right wrist gently which pushed her breasts tightly together.

The button holding the coat together was about half in and half out, ready to slid out at a sudden movement and though Claude hated himself honestly for it, he felt eager almost desperate for the movement that would pop his tail coat open to bare her pale skin that he knew rested beneath the layers of hidden cloth. He would be lying if he didn't say he wasn't aroused last night when she'd put his coat on, the way it had just barely fit her, her breasts ready to just burst out of the black cloth, her nipples standing hard from the cold air pressing against the fabric tightly, her bare legs were were long and slender.

Her thighs rounded beautifully so they touched one another fully leaving no space and her skin looked so silky soft. He felt his hands, even now, twitching with an unexplainable urge to stroke the soft silky looking skin and he clenched his hands into fists, his marked hand burning hotly as he clenched his hands so tightly they trembled. It was hard to grasp that him, who'd been emotionless and efficient in what he was, was slowly becoming unraveled by one little girl. He turned his head looking at her again, marveling just a bit he admitted to himself grudgingly, at just how peaceful she honestly looked as she slept, all the anger gone and leaving a sweet looking girl.

He could feel the sun beginning to rise in the sky, the pale light starting to fill the room gently. He felt a bit strange marveling at the girl in her sleep but he just couldn't help it. He felt so sick for staring at her, recalling these things about her but he couldn't help it, couldn't stop even the memories of the alley way from filtering his mind when she'd kissed him back so fervently and the way she'd curled her leg around his hip and moaned gently.

He clenched his jaw so tightly he thought his teeth would break, his nails managing to dig into his palms even through his gloves as he clenched his hands tight in an attempt to keep himself calm and to stop thinking so much for once. Then she shifted, rolling onto her left side causing the button to slide open and he hissed in a breath looking to the wall feeling like a silly little human man, being controlled by hormones and lust.

But. . there was something more drawing him to the girl, something that was pulling at him so intently he felt he would die and it was a very uncomfortable feeling. He growled at hismelf as he stood up pacing the small room slightly, his hands twitching and his heart seemed to burn and swell with a lustful feeling in his body as he looked down at her.

Her breasts were all but on display, the coat wide open revealing just how pale her skin was, how full and large her breasts really were, her nipples hard from the chilly air but it was her faintly flushed face that made him blink twice once then look away, pulling his glass off and cleaning them gently as he fought the burning lust in his body. He wasn't to feel this way, he didn't think he could andd he knew demons did NOT feel this way, they just simply weren't supposed too. He clenched his jaw when she shifted again onto her back and he felt an impulse to just lay himself on her and just kiss and suck on various places of her pale skin until she woke up.

He moved a hand through his hair as he clenched his hand tight sending a little jolt of pain through him which gave him a small sense of control. He shouldn't be doing this, shouldn't be lusting after a silly girl and to make it worse she was Sebastian Michaelis' daughter no less so she was the last person he should be feeling this for but even so it was hard NOT too.

It was so confusing but it was when she stretched, her back arching and her breasts jutting up into the air making his breath clog his throat and he scowled down at the ground when she shifted,moving up on one arm rubbing her eyes, he all but zoomed to his chair sitting down when she looked over at him. She seemed to become aware of the way the coat had come undone for she gave a little squeak as she buttoned it up and he smirked a bit to himself as sat up, the blankets pooling at her waist.

"Where are my clothes?" She asked as she looked at his back intently.

He smirked a bit more as he kept his back to her. "They're in the bathroom, I took the liberty of drying them or you." He replied and turned his head just slightly as he watched her slide out of bed. It was like her movements were precise and like liquid, so elegant and graceful it could take anyone's breath away but Claude was merely fascinated strangely, he stared at her bare legs sweeping his gaze up to her hip area feeling a sense of longing to get a clear view but he pushed the down and swept his eyes all the way up across her stomach and breasts to her groggy looking green eyes that flashed in surprise.

"Thank. . you." The words were said slowly and it made Claude grin just a bit, like he enjoyed her surprise which he honestly did.

"You're very welcome. I suggest you get dressed and get to your work." Claude said as he looked straight into her eyes then turned back forward, writing down random things on a piece of paper when he felt her hesitance.

"Alright. ." She said slowly then turned padding of to the bathroom and when the door clicked shut he blew out a soft breath, his eyes fluttering shut as he leaned back in his chair. It was so stupid! Ridiculous! He was a demon and he was lowering himself to human emotions! He glared deeply as he clenched the pen he held in his hand tightly, his brows pulled tightly together.

It was less than five minutes when Elodie was walking back out, her clothes in neat order, her glasses gleaming gently in the low light and her shoes were very lighy clicking against the floor gently as she walked to the door and he stood up walking over to her and opened the door before she could. They walked out in silence, she blushed a tiny bit when she got a smirk from the manager much like last night and they made it outside. It was like last night in a strange way, with barely anyone out there but it wasn't raining and the sky was a beautiful array of colors, the light a weak gold but growing brighter gradually and with barely any people outside it was kind of. . . .relaxing.

She walked beside Claude, her hands held tightly together as she walked and she couldn't help but look at Claude out of the corner of her eye and through the dark curtain of her hair as she walked. There was something about last night that changed her view of him but even so she wasn't going to be letting him have control over anything of her and as if to answer her thoughts he stopped walking and looked at her making her look down at the ground quickly as she stopped just a couple steps in front of him.

"I will tell you this now, Elodie, I will not kiss you again." She breathed out an obvious breath of relief as she smiled rather happily but he jsut grinned. "Because it will be you next time that will kiss ME instead."

She imemdiately scoffed at him. "Yeah right. I doubt I will, I can't stand you trust me on that. I hate your very exsistence, I'd rather go and kiss Ronald than you."

"Oh I doubt that very much so, you aren't being honest with what you want now are you?" Claude said with a raise of his brow making her blush suddenly and she glared at the ground hotly.

"I am to being honest with what I want. And it's not you." She snapped out as she crossed her arms tight over her chest as she glared at the ground like a child and it made Claude grin widely.

"You're a terrible liar." He murmured gently and she couldn't help but looked up at him once through her lashes and blushed looked down again when she caught sight of his grin. She hated it honestly when he showed emotion like that and she shifted.

"I am not. Just shut up." She said but it sounded more like a whine and he grinned a bit more.

He stepped forward close to her and she stood her grond surprisingly as she glared defiantly up at him. "I could just get my kiss now, you know it's what you want, I doubt you would deny me if you were honest with yourself."

"I won't kiss you so you might as well just take it." She snapped out when, instead of grabbing her roughly as she expected him too, she felt his arm sliding around her waist making her blush gently, one hand move up to grab her chin gently and without warning, her glasses found themselves on top of her head and his lips were pressed to hers.

She wanted to sigh with content as every part of her relaxed just a fraction of an inch, she blushed darker and her arms slowly, ever so slowly, moved up and wrapped around his shoulders as she gradually began to kiss him back slowly, her cheeks burning hot. It was always there, when he was near her that she fought her hardest against herself, but her mind whispered she loved this, that THIS was why she couldn't be with Ronald, that she was Claude's simply as he was hers, that she couldn't have another.

She hated that little voice but she was powerless against it's charm surprisingly and she melted like butter in his arms. She trembled gently with the sudden harsh feeling of something acute to longing or lust, one of the two emotions, flooded her body from the top to the bottom of her and set her heart squeezing and thudding against her chest as she began to kiss him a bit more fervently, as if this would be the last time.

She felt her palms tingling gently with the urge to touch Claude everywhere and her veins filled with heat that wanted to be let out immediately and flow free and burn her skin lightly with the feeling, to be removed of the sudden confining clothes as she pressed herself to Claude. She didn't think of him as just "him" or "he" bitterly anymore, he was Claude. It was so sudden, this new feeling and almost new mindset as she clutched onto him tight. She kissed him deeply, her cheeks burning hotly when the shout of her name brought her just an inch out of her fog, she broke the kiss gulping in a breath and shivered whem she felt his velvet like lips sliding along her jawline and neck.

"Let her go!" A voice suddenly snarled and her vision, half horrible as it was, seem to clear from the fog of lust and longing, to look straight into Ronald's furiously glowing green eyes.

"Maybe I don't want too. After all she's the one who wants this." Claude murmured gently as he clenched her to him in a way she was unfamiliar with. She found that she liked being held to Claude this way but with Ronald standing there it made her feel weird about it but also a little guilty. Instead of finding him right away and talking to him, she'd worked herself nearly insane, spent the night with a demon and was caught kissing him.

"No she doesn't! She never has!" Ronald snapped out angrily as he glared at Claude and Elodie realized she didn't WANT to leave Claude, she didn't want to go back with Ronald and with him standing there she almost said as such but he suddenly pulled her away from Claude, who actually growled.

"Ronald stop!" She shouted ripping her arm away from Ronald angrily as she glared at him. She never felt angry with him but she did right then and she wanted to slap him for pulling her away from Claude.

He looked at her surprised but still angry all the same."Are you serious? You WANT to stay with him?!" He asked, his tone angry and shocked as he looked at her intently.

"Well you don't need to be so rude first of all Ronald, because I never said anything about wanting to stay with him!" She suddeny yelled out shocking herself and the two others just a bit and she glared at nothing in particular."Just leave me alone about this!" She shouted again stoping away uickly then broke into a run in the direction of the Phantomhive manor, her now perfect sanctuary.

She paused in her running, half way between the town and the manor, her body still as a rock and she realized that all she was doing was running away. She stood there looking at the ground as her heart hit against her chest hard couple times and she felt tears welling up suddenly in her eyes as they burned and she sucked in a breath. She was going to lose her mind. She let out a long breath. She's gonna be okay soon enough.

She repeated this over and over, her eyes shutting gently and she rubbed her eyes softly pushing the tears back. She hated running away, it made her look weak and more than anything she wondered why she was just running away so much. She tilted her head back letting her hair fall back joining the other locks of hair and she shut her eyes gently as she made up her mind slowly and opened her eyes, turning around the let out a little scream. Ronald was standing right behind her, his green eyes dark as he stared at her.

"Don't do that!" She snapped as she held her hand to her chest tight as she blew out a soft breath.

"So sorry. Tell me Elodie, is the reason you won't be with me is because of him? HIM? A demon?" Ronald asked demandingly, his eyes narrowing a bit as she looked at him and felt a stab of guilt.

"Ronald-"

He cut her off coldly and abruptly as he looked down at her. "I care for you Elodie, more than he ever will! Don't you understand that? He's just using you and you're going to be thrown away like nothing when he's done with you!"

"Ronald you don't know that he-"

"I don't but I know how demons work Elodie, you're just being deluded and too caught up in his act. He doesn't care about you at all!" Ronald shouted, his arms going out harshly as he glared at her and then the glare softened leaving only pain. "I care about you so much. Why do you choose him?"

"Ronald." It was just his name alone that caused tears to rise in her eyes and she pulled her glasses off rubbing a few tears away wondering why this hurt her. He stepped closer to her and moved his arms around her mid section hugging her tightly, catching her off guard, his breath warming the top of her head gently and she felt more tears rise wondering how this was even happening.

"You don't understand Elodie. I can't not be with you but it hurts to see you with him. I hate it. I. . can't be around you, not anymore, not while you're being with HIM." Ronald whispered gently, his voice holding true pain and was completely clean of any lie. Elodie's heart clenched tight in her chest. She coudn't lose Ronald, SHE COULDN'T.

"Ronald please, I-I can't lose you. PLEASE." She whispered as tears began to roll down er cheeks, wondering why she was feeling so much panic and pain at losing him but he just pulled away, leaving her cold and baren.

"I'm sorry Elodie." He said turning around and without looking at her again he took off leaving her there. The only warm thing about her was the tears slipping down her cheeks softly and she crouched down, her arms wrapped around her stomach gently.

She wanted Ronald to be in her life he was her best friend and she was nothing without him but. . if he wasn't willing to be around her, if he could just walk away so easily then she shouldn't care should she? She stood up, feeling cold and hard as a rock before turning and walking back towards the town and just when she got to the beginning of the cobblestone ground she noticed Claude standing there.

Her heart trippled in beat though some part of her was very very hesitant about him still but she ran forward launching herself at him and she wrapped her arms around him tightly, her face burrowing into his shoulder as her cheeks flushed. He was HERS. She'd be an idiot to give him up, she didn't know why she'd fought to hard against him, but then again something about this, how easy she was accepting him, wasn't normal but she just clung to him as though life itself depended on it and she shut her eyes softly.


End file.
